One of the ways The Human Spark investigates what makes us uniquely human is by looking at our closest living relatives, the other great apes. Scientists are attacking the question of how we became human from a number of new directions – in addition to analyzing the more traditional hard evidence of ancient fossils. This article in New Scientist magazine explains several ways researchers are gathering data from primate groups alive today to gain insights into early hominid evolution. Tune in to The Human Spark’s second episode to learn more. What do you think these kinds of inferences can add to our understanding of where we came from and how we became who we are?

In a three-part series originally brodcast on PBS in January 2010, Alan Alda takes this question personally, visiting with dozens of scientists on three continents -- even undergoing an examination of his own brain.» Learn More

Major funding for The Human Spark is provided by the National Science Foundation, and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the John Templeton Foundation, the Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, and The Winston Foundation.